


To make a difference (how to be proud)

by Niennas_Apprentice (Niennas_apprentice)



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Character Study, Gen, Piccolo is best dad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 15:52:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12324141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niennas_apprentice/pseuds/Niennas_Apprentice
Summary: Piccolo laments on being a grandfather, on a demon, on life and on true purpose.





	To make a difference (how to be proud)

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this gifset: http://adamwarlock.tumblr.com/post/164012590198/uncle-piccolo-pan-episode-19-43
> 
> Edited out some typos found in original version.

Piccolo looked down at the wonder slumbering in his arms, softly humming a melody he only had a vague secondhand memory from a world that he had never known until Saiyans and Frieza and Namek.

(and Gohan, always Gohan).

"Piccoyo"

It hadn't been the first word little Pan had said. The first had been mama, and almost immediately afterwards she had looked for Gohan while asking for papa papa. But then a few days later she had looked straight at him, face bright and smiling and said loud and clear

"Piccoyo!”

He'd been too stunned to move, Gohan and Videl laughing at his shocked surprise. Then she had reached out for him and repeated his name and he had had no choice but stretch his arms and pick up the laughing baby, much to Gohan’s delight.

And damn, if that wasn't something. His Gohan all grown up.

Piccolo could vaguely remember what it had been like before the Saiyans had come to Earth. It had been a time of confusion and anger. His only goal to somehow avenge his father whose plans and memories he had inherited, but not quite understood. All his confusion, channeled into rage and hate towards his father's killer.

But then he had actually fought the man. He had fought Goku, who was always cheerful, who was always pushing him, who was so good.

 

And his world had changed.

 

He hadn't even realized it at the time but that had been the first time he felt something other than his father's rage, the first time he had felt emotions truly his own.

And then Gohan, small and tiny little gohan, his Gohan, had happened. His Gohan who was already grown, and an accomplished scholar, and a father himself. And Piccolo had never been more proud of the kid.

Softly keeping up his singing while gently rocking little Pan to sleep he couldn't help but wonder what his own father would have thought of him.

Would he have been proud of his son who was so soft and loved and just so happy. Surrounded by children who all had those tails full of frightening potential. Children who looked at him not in fear but with smiles and said Mr. Piccolo, and uncle Piccolo and I love you Piccolo and little Pan saying Piccoyo, so small and already looking at him with such warmth, like Gohan had even back then

(he had tried so hard to hate, to be hated by him, but Gohan is so much better than that, so much better than him).

 

And sure, it was horrible, all these _children_ and _friends_ and _feelings._ His reputation more or less destroyed, no one properly scared of the green demon. Not even shown proper respect by the lesser fighters of the group. Them forgetting that he, his body, his arms, his legs, his _teeth and claws_ were all made to fight. He had been born to fight, to crush, to dominate, to _kill_.

(no, the voice in his head says, no, you were always more than that)

 

But…

 

Would his father have looked upon his children and seen the same thing as he did? Would his father have known what love was. Would his father have loved him as much as he loved his children, as he loved his Gohan, as much as his heart belonged now to little Pan.

The Namekian who was now whole smiled ruefully at the baby in his arms. He had kind of taken over the world hadn't he? Raising the children of the next generation, teaching them, nurturing them, loving them. His strong children. His weird, loud, annoying, loving, beautiful children. Gohan and Goten and Trunks and little Pan. 

(and soon Bra too but he doesn't know that yet. Kami would've known already, but Piccolo can only guess).

 

Wasn't that the kind of world domination that couldn't ever be broken, the world would always be his because it was theirs, the future theirs and he would be right there beside them to sing them songs he doesn't know the words to (Nail did, Nail still does), to hold them and comfort them, to train them and teach them how to survive, how to win, how to be themselves. Teach them how to be _happy_. Wasn't that something to be proud of, something to look forward to, something to _live_ for?

 

(yes, says the voice in his head that still sometimes sounds like Kami, yes it is)

 

(“You sing?!”

“Shut up, Goku”)

**Author's Note:**

> So I just finished watching dragonball and I love this green alien enough to actually sit down and do something about it.  
> I have a lot more headcanons left relating to this event, so I might make a series of these.


End file.
